Second Life
by Lector Dominion
Summary: The war finished yet scars still ran deeper than anyone thought. To help Harry from his bouts of depression and suicidal thoughts, Hermione and Ron found ways to help him despite them also not in their proper mental stability. But the methods were not helpful. That's when Hermione found some solution in a muggle advanced developed game for all three of them. Crossover 1/2 Prince.
1. Chapter 1

**Full Summary:** The war left a deep scar in all the survivors. But none felt it more than the three main people in the center of the conflict. Harry, always feeling at edge and almost always having nightmares, felt extreme bouts of suicidal thoughts that Hermione and Ron, despite them also not having a proper mental stability, decided to find ways to help their friend from himself. That's when Hermione found a perfect solution for the three of them. Playing the quite popular muggle game.

 **Disclaimer:** The canons aren't mine obviously. But the unfamiliar plots, ideas behind the merging, as well as occasional OC's are mine.

 **Note:** Crossover Harry Potter  & Half Prince. Mentions of SAO console. Unedited. No Beta. Mentions (implied or direct) of Slash. Genderbender. **Slow update**.

* * *

 **Second Life**

 **01:**

The first anniversary of the end of the Wizard War came and went without the presence of the Golden Trio. For the wizard and witches who had attended such an event, it was baffling. They couldn't understand why they didn't come.

It was a celebration for the freedom of their world from the madman Voldemort and his followers. And with them being the people who contributed a lot to their freedom, especially The-Boy-Who-Lived Harry Potter, shouldn't they be with them and celebrate?

It was in the headlines of The Daily Prophet that morning and Ron couldn't help but snort in disgust at it as Hermione tossed the rag known as the official England Wizarding newspaper with a sneer on her mouth. He didn't need to read the rest of it to know that what they've written would only anger him.

"Celebrate? Are they all idiots? Well, of course they are! Magic had deteriorated their logical thinking to such an extent that they considered us as inconciderate just because we didn't attend their party!" The bushy-haired teen girl ranted angrily, hands waving in the air as she waited for her coffee to cool down just a little bit to not burn her tongue.

"Mione, not all magic users are idiots," he said, biting the toast he had on his hands as he blew on his hot chocolate. _I'm so glad I didn't read that rag,_ he thought to himself as he saw his female friend getting worked up over what the report had said.

He knew that Hermiine knew she didn't have to read it to know that what they've written about them were probably nonsense. But Hermione is the type of person who had to know as her curiosity and thirst for knowledge would overwhelm her if she didn't.

But at least it wasn't as overbearing as when they were still in Hogwarts.

His friend rolled her eyes at her. "I know Ron. But majority are such dumb idiots it makes me want to hex them until they had to stay in a hospital for months!"

"No using magic Mione!" Ron quickly hushed her up. She sighed and mimed zipping twirling an imaginary wand and pocketing it away.

"I know," she then sighed before looking at the clock displayed on the wall of their living room. It read as ten o'clock. "When will Harry get out of his room Ron?" She asked worriedly.

The redhead's interest on his hot chocolate was quickly forgotten as he stared on the room where Harry was sleeping. Alone and not wanting their presence since last week. Again.

Harry had his on and off days. His on days were he gets out of his room and eats voluntarily and wants to spend time around them, being as close as he possibly could. In those days, they all sleep together on his humungous size bed, eat together and stay together in the living room lounging all day or doing what they fancied to do. It was quite possibly a good day for all of them.

His off days consists of not getting out of bed, being forced to eat, not wanting any company, much less touch. He didn't like being disturbed and is either depressed, very much high on unpleasant thoughts and reckless behaviour. It was stressing for all of them.

And most unfortunately nowadays, the off days were rather frequent than the on days, making the two of them worry about their friend and very much their only family even more.

It was extremely worrying because it was a known fact between them that out of the three of them, Harry has the worse scars. Either physically or mentally.

They tried to do everything to help their friend. They tried looking for potions, spells and rituals, but they were all useless. They also tried looking into making him look for some mind healer, which even on his on days were a no-no.

They were frankly running out of options and would probably dive onto Dark Arts book for help. Fuck the morality of it.

"I don't know Mione," he managed to say after a few seconds of silence. "Maybe we should give him some food now? Even if he didn't want-" he was cut off from speaking when an internal alarm sounded inside their head. A spell that they cast around Harry and the two of them which Hermione had to create to better look after him even if they weren't around him.

It signaled that their friend was doing something reckless. And by the loudness of it, that meant Harry was doing something that could kill him.

The two of them didn't wait for a second to abruptly ran towards his room. They slammed the door open and saw that there was no Harry on the bed but the adjacent bathroom's light was open. They immediately went there and saw that Harry was slitting his wrist open and blood was already scattered on the floor.

"Harry!" Hermione screeched as Ron immediately took the broken mirror he used for doing his suicide act. He held a weakly struggling Harry to him as he looked at their female friend urgently.

"Hermione! Hurry up!" she jerked out of her stunned stupor and immediately took her wand. They saw that Harry's eyes was zeroing on her wand and his struggling started again strongly than before.

"Give me the wand Mione! Give it to me!" Harry shouted wildly. Ron struggled to hold him and not allow his hands to even reach her. Harry might not look like it but he could fight back physically even with his small physique.

Mione didn't let their screaming friend's voice deter her. She immediately and efficiently healed his self-inflicted wounds on his wrist. He saw Harry's spilled blood returning back to his wounded wrist and the deep cuts healed nicely.

Harry, seeing what Hermione had done, struggled again. "No! No Mione! Why did you do that? I want to die! Let me die!" he was hysterical as he saw his own wrist unmarred once again. Ron was now grunting as he prevented him from escaping even as he felt his heart break again from what Harry was saying.

Hermione's eyes watered as she uttered a sleeping spell, sending it towards their friend. The result was immediate. His wide, panicked and betrayed eyes closed, his body slacked and all tension on his body released as he slept.

He held his other best friend on his arms firmly yet gently. He brought him out of the bathroom - luckily he didn't open the shower nor the faucet so they weren't wet from the struggle earlier - and put him back to bed.

In his sleep, whether enforced or not, you wouldn't think he ever harbored suicidal thoughts. He look so peaceful in his sleep that he could almost believe it if not for what happened earlier.

Hermione sobbed. "What are we going to do Ron? I can't take seeing Harry like this!" He went to her and hugged her, comforting her and at the same time himself because they both needed it.

This situation was like the first time Harry finally succumbed to his depression and tried offing himself using his wand and turning it to himself while uttering the killing curse.

It was lucky they came to check on him that day and saw him directing his wand on himself and managed to knock him over to stop the incantation. Just hearing the first word of the curse from Harry's own mouth while his wand was pointing on himself was giving him nightmares for weeks afterwards.

Both him and Hermione was inconsolable that day as visions of Harry managing to do that if they were even a few seconds later from checking on him.

It was like that today. It was apparent that despite monitoring him, despite taking his wand away from him, despite not even mentioning any sort of magic use around him even on his on days and his very own magic rebelling on his desire to die, Harry could still find ways to get what he wanted.

What if one day, they would be too late to get to him? They only have each other now. Only the three of them. They wouldn't be able to take not having Harry in their lives.

"We have to look for more solutions to this depression of his. The anti-depressant potions we have him drink isn't obviously working. Harry is having resistance against it,"

"What solution? We've already looked everywhere!" she hysterically exclaimed. It wasn't really Hermione-like for her to give up but he could understand why she's feeling it.

The situation was just that severe.

"Maybe have him distracted?" he stated, ideas that never entered his mind before finally making themselves known. "Maybe he needs something to be distracted with. Something fun and would let him experience life again. Maybe something that would make him feel an adrenaline rush. To combat depression,"

Flying could be the solution. If Harry hadn't used the idea before to commit suicide.

Hermione took on a thinking pose. He looked at her curiously as her eyes went wide and her mouth opened up in an 'O' form.

"Mione? What is it?" he asked when her eyes lit up in excitement.

"I remember!"

"What? What did you remember?" he asked urgently. She smacked her forehead before running out of the room excitedly.

"Wait here! I just have to go and buy it!" she said as she ran back inside the room and took the keys to her car on the drawer.

They've gone muggle after the war not only to evade fans who didn't seem to know the concept of privacy and to avoid people wanting to kill them but also to get the depressed and suicidal Harry out of the Wizarding World.

"Buy it?" he was bewildered at what Hermione was saying.

"Yes! I'll tell you later when I have it!" she kissed Harry and his forehead before quickly walking out of the room and the house. "Watch Harry!" she shouted.

"I will!" he said in reply. He heard her start her car and driving away and he sat on the bed beside Harry after a few seconds of just standing there.

"Well, it's only us now Harry. Our Madame just went away without even telling what she had to buy," he said. Harry continued to sleep, not reacting to anything he had been saying.

Remembering just why he was in that state made him fidget and start fussing on his friend. He arrange his blanket so it rest comfortably on his chest.

"Could you stop worrying us mate? It's making our hair white you know,"

He reached Harry's hair and began running his hand on it. It was a little greasy due to him not taking a bathe since yesterday but he didn't care.

"I hope whatever it is Hermione bought would help you Harry," he said softly. "Because you deserve to finally live your life normally like you wanted,"

No answer. Not that he expected anything.

 **TBC.**

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 **A/N:**

Another story. I'm really making this harder on myself. But I had to, otherwise this idea would pester me until I write it so I might as well let you read this.

So, thoughts?

 **Vote and Comment!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** Crossover Harry Potter  & 1/2 Prince. Destructive thoughts. Gender Bender. Unedited. No Beta. **Slow update.**

* * *

 **Second Life**

 **02:**

It was a few hours before Hermione arrived from their trip. By then, he fell asleep beside Harry, scooping him up protectively against his chest as they both slept peacefully. But he did woke up when Hermione shook him gently awake.

"Ron, wake up!" even when she was waking him softly, Hermione still had that excited tone on hers.

"Hang on Mione," he slurred sleepily as he positioned Harry in a comfortable position as he stood up. He took his wand from his holster and cast freshening charm on his mouth before the two of them went out of the room.

"So, what is it?" he asked as he took his and Hermione's neglected drink earlier before they had to run towards Harry earlier and dunked the contents on the sink. He then started making the drinks they both preferred. His as hot chocolate while Hermione's was the ever bitter black coffee.

"This!" she set three boxes on the table. He finished the drinks he was doing first - ignoring Hermione's impatient foot tapping - before he brought them on the table, giving Mione's own and placing his on the table. It was then he finally inspected the white, unassuming boxes.

He took one, looked at the Chinese characters written on it before taking his wand and casting a translation charm on it.

"Honestly Ron. I thought you were learning Asian languages?" Mione asked while rolling her eyes.

"I did! I still am! But its languages Mione, not written words!" he defended.

"You should have learned about it too!" It was then his turn to roll his eyes.

"Translation charm could do the trick Mione," he didn't bother saying anything as he read the translated text on the box.

Game console.

"You brought a game? A muggle game?" he asked in disbelief. A muggle game wasn't able to bring adrenaline rushes the likes Harry would need! For one, they just have to sit and press multiple buttons to move the character on the television! No matter how exciting it may seem, it still required sitting still and being in one place. Something that wouldn't sit well with him.

Harry is a physical type of person. That type of game would bore him rather quickly.  
Not to mention he'd be floundering around not knowing what to do if Hermione ever planned to have him play too. After all, she did brought three consoles. He could guess whom the other two are.

"Don't be daft Ron. The Second Life isn't like anything you've seen played on the internet cafe," she said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Second Life?" What kind of game was that?

"That's the name of the game downloaded in the game console. I asked for the best and they told me Second Life is the most popular virtual reality game at the moment as it brings almost 99.9% of realism. I'm not sure about that though but from the other people I've interviewed while I was at the store, they said that it really was telling the truth about its realism. I had another game downloaded but I think we should do the Second Life first. Which brings me into another matter," she said all those rapidly and without pausing that others would be blinking in bewilderment and awe, wondering how she managed to say all those without even running out of breath. But he's quite used to her ways - even if he was also amazed at it every time she does it - so he managed to get all of what she was saying.

"Virtual Reality? 99.9% realism?" he was confused at the terms she was throwing around at him. He wanted those questions addressed first before she started on her other matter. She looked at him with her eyes sparkling excitedly and spoke again.

"It's a game that lets you experience the game itself. Like you're living in the game," she started, gushing in praise at the game. For someone who said they were not sure of the realism, she seemed pretty hook at it already. "It's amazing Ron! It was described to me by one of the teens buying it and it sounded brilliant! I'm quite sure Harry will like it! And..." here, her eyes dimmed and her smile was wiped off. "...here, Harry could die multiple times and he'd still be alive, both in the game and here,"

The atmosphere around them were subdued and Ron had to speak to at least fill in the silence. "What game...? Remember our 'adventure' Mione. It's full of adrenaline pumping 'scenes',"

"I know Ronald. Do you take me for an idiot?" she impatiently said. He shook his head. Idiot? Hermione was probably the most intelligent and logical magical person he had ever met. "Trust me, this would be a unique and good experience,"

He hope so.

"And what is this other matter you're telling me?" Hermione's eyes sparkled once again.

"Were changing forms!" she cheerily chirped, taking some potion-filled vial off her potion kit. Two vials contained bubbly pink while one was electric blue.

"Mione... what's that?" he asked warily. He was always wary of encountering any potion ever since the Polyjuice incident back in their second year. Even though it was quite neat and useful potion, it was still yucky and weird drinking the awful tasting potions with other people's essence and changing forms.

She beamed as if she didn't notice his wariness. "It's for us to take when using the game console! The pink ones are for you and Harry while the blue is for me,"

"And what's the purpose of that?"

Her eyes twinkled disturbingly alike Dumbledore. "It's a gender-change potion good for two hours,"

He gaped. And then his mind conjured image of him in female form and he shuddered. "You're going to turn Harry and me into a girl?" he asked, aghast at the very idea.

"Yes. And I'm changing into a guy," she said in a matter-of-fact voice. When he shivered violently at the continued image swimming inside his mind, she frowned. "Is there any problem with being a girl?"

"Of course there is! I'm a guy Mione! I like my bits you know," she rolled her eyes at him.

"You're being completely ridiculous Ron. It's not as if you'll stay that way forever!" she chided him. "Only in the game will you change gender," she added oh so thoughtfully.

His eyes went wide at that. "What? Why?" he asked, devastated at such an idea.

"This game is being played by other muggleborns. I knew about this because Dean was telling about it to Seamus on one of my trips to Diagon Alley while I was in disguised. With how he managed to speak about it, I had wondered if it really was a game or it was in one of the places he managed to visit," she explained.

"So?" he asked. He couldn't quite get why he had to change. He shivered. Hermione's eyes narrowed at him and her hands rested on her hips as she glared at him.

"Think Ron! We're hiding from the magical world! If the muggleborns saw us playing this, the others might do it too or have us track down through the use of the consoles. There are many possibilities of us being found out. It's better to stay safe,"

Oh. "But why do we have to change forms here? Can't we just... change our gender in game?" he shuddered again, even that sounded bad. He really didn't like the thought of being a girl. He never even considered it. No offense to the girls out there but he really didn't like sprouting boulders of chest and his own bits shrinking and disappearing. He blanched at that imagery.

"The consoles will have us run our hands on our entire body while wearing the head gear. It's so the system could check us. When we finally enter the game, the scanned data the consoles acquired about us is what's going to be revealed inside. There would also be no change in gender and faces when creating a character to emphasize its realism. Well, that's what they said to me at least," she said. "And there's nothing wrong with being a girl!"

"For you! You're a girl. I'm a guy. It's simple like that. I'm happy as I am,"

Hermione rolled her eyes again, mumbling what he was sure now as "Boys,"

He ignored her and inspected the boxes again.

"They're safe?"

"Of course!" she stated sounding offended. He apologized and she nodded with a sigh.

"Then let's do this,"

"Alright. I'll set it up," Mione said, voice clearly excited.

"But you're telling Harry Mione,"

"Honestly Ron!"

. . . . .

Harry woke up in a numb state. He didn't move from his position. He just stared at the ceiling and ignored the warmth that was already beside him. He didn't need to look to see that it was only Hermione and Ron. The two people who had always been there for him.

He knew that his condition was making them worry. He knew that they set aside their own grievances, their very life after the war finished just to stay and take care of him. He didn't want them to. He didn't want them to hold off their life just for him. He was holding them back from moving on. He was making them miserable with his sorry state.

But he couldn't help it. Every misfortune that came onto his life, he pushed through with stubbornness, determination and sometimes anger to get out of the depression he would undoubtedly feel whenever something bad happened.

His relatives he dealt with indifference as even though he comprehended that they were his only living family, they never made themselves endear to him. He tried hard to gain their love and approval, only to have it thrown onto him without consideration and repeatedly stabbing it viciously without care. There was a lot he couldn't understand with result to his unfortunate childhood.

Friendship.

Family.

Love.

It was deprived from him from his very young age so when he was thrown towards a new world he didn't even know, he floundered around and his hope of new life that he managed to beat back at the very corner of his heart overwhelmed him that the very people who first treated him nice, he held extremely close to his heart.

Ron and Hermione.

Hagrid.

The Weasleys.

Sirius.

Remus.

His other friends, teammates and even his classmates. Even if they have an ever-changing attitude around him along with the rest of the Wizarding World, they still accepted him. They still 'loved' him. Even if they only did because of a result of an unfortunate circumstances that rid them of their Dark Lord problem, his ridiculous title and his role as their savior.

He still did his duty.

Even if his very life went to hell.

But now everything is fine. There was no use for him. They squeezed everything he could give and then some and now, he was left without a purpose. Without use. There was even nothing to go back to. Everything and everyone close to his heart was either gone or was right beside him.

And now he was dragging Ron and Hermione towards his hell and he didn't want that for them.

So he wanted it all to end.

Why couldn't they allow it? He wanted peace. He wanted to be with his family. He knew that he'd be leaving Ron and Hermione by themselves as the three of them were the only one left in their family but he was sure they'd be able to live without him.

They're stronger than him. They still had a life ahead of them. With him gone, they'd be able to pursue them.

So really, his death would be beneficial to all of them.

So why are they being stubborn and wanted him to still stay? Didn't he deserve peace? He think so. And the peace he wanted was permanent.

And he was sure death could give it to him. And then he realized that even Death didn't want him to rest. That he 'deserved a second chance at life' and he had to take it already. It came right out of the entity's very own mouth when he just came onto his dream and berated him as being too eager to come to his domain.

 **"You don't have to worry about your place in my domain. You are my Master. Thus, you already have a place here even if you are still alive in the mortal world. I want you to live happily before coming to my side Master. You deserve it,"**

And now he didn't know what to do. He knew that his suicidal thoughts wouldn't go away that quickly. And even though his darker thoughts wasn't able to consume him this time as he was woken up by the words of Death himself - being told that he wasn't welcome in the land of the dead if he was actively seeking it would do that to you, especially if it was the Death deity himself who told that - there were still thoughts that could provoke him into wanting to off himself again when an opportunity comes.

"Harry?" he didn't react to Hermione's voice. She still continued though even though he wasn't giving any outward reaction. But unlike the other times he ignored his two best friends, his brother and sister in all but blood talked to him on his off days, this time he listened.

"I found some game that I know you would definitely like!" she said, voice chirping cheerily as if he had reacted on her earlier query. He didn't move. "It's just a muggle game yes, but it's unique. This game isn't going to be just sitting in front of a TV and pressing buttons. You're the one who will be literally moving your character!" Hermione's voice finally sounded genuine in its excitement. He could already picture it inside his mind. Her eyes would be sparkling and her lips would be set into a happy grin.

"What? Really?" Ron's voice suddenly piped in, disbelief and excitement warred on his tone. He could imagine him looking at Hermione like she was jesting and at the same time wickedly brilliant. His blue eyes opening wide as he settled the information Hermione was freely giving inside his brain.

Picturing it inside his mind made him snap out of his numb state and realize that he'd been so focused on himself that he hadn't even seen his friend's faces without them looking wary, worried and tense.

He moved to look at them and they both froze, looking at him with wide-eyed hope.

"Harry?" they both simultaneously asked.

"Game?" he asked hoarsely.

It took a second before he saw his brother and sister giving him a too wide, delighted grin.

 **TBC.**

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hey guys! I made it as MOD!Harry. I just couldn't resist. I don't think that's important at this time but we'll see.

And you see about the game console's use? It's from SAO. I'm sure you know. I just don't understand Yu Wo's as I read the manga and not the novel. In there, the protagonist only put on her head gear and slept. I didn't quite like that so I went with SAO reference.

Anyway, hope you like this!


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